Roller drawer suspension device



P. FREDERICK ROLLER DRAWER SUSPENSION DEVICE June 25', 1963 I Filed Aug. 11, y 1961 F/EE Arrow/5X5 United States Patent O 3,095,250 ROLLER DRAWER SUSPENSION DEVICE Philip Frederick, Beechhurst, N.Y., assigner to Supreme Steel Equipment Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 130,792 8 Claims. (Cl. 312-341) The present invention is directed -to cabinets having pull drawers, such as tiling cabinets, and more particularly to cabinets having relatively wide drawers.

In cabinets of this type it is diicult to pull the drawers out for access because, due to the width thereof, the drawer tends to jam by becoming cocked, since it is almost impossible to exert a uniform pulling force all along the width of the drawer. Attempts have been made to so mount the drawer `on rollers at the sides of the drawer to minimize the chances of jamming thereof. But such rollers as previously proposed, due to the manner of mounting inthe cabinet, were unable to adequately guide the drawer to eliminate this defect.

Accordingly the present invention seeks to overcome the diiculties encountered in prior constructions of the type above referred to, it being among the objects of the invention to provide a roller mounting which will eiectively prevent jamming of the drawer during manual operation thereof.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide a structure of the type described which is simple, which has few parts, is economical to manufacture and which may be manipulated with a minimum of force.

In practicing the invention, the drawer is provided at the rear portion with a pair of rollers at each side thereof, said rollers operating in suitable rails attached to the cabinet. A clearance is provided between the edge of the rollers and the rails so that the diameter of the rollers is less than the vertical distance between the top and bottom of the rails. The rails have an upper flange which is arced convexly on a relatively large radius and the rim of the rollers is arced on a lesser radius than the upper ange. The lower ange is usually horizontal, although it may be concavely arced if desired. The rollers are mounted on the drawer at an acute angle to the lower ange so `that the planes passing through each of the pairs of rollers converge inwardly and upwardly to meet above the drawer. Usually the angle is relatively small.

When the drawer is opened or closed by pulling or pushing on one side or unequally on both sides (rather than equally), the curved upper ange of the rails exerts a vcorrective force on the Vrollers `as they rotate. This causes the rollers, which make line contact with the upper ange, to climb up the curve a short distance before being urged back into their proper position. The additional clearance between the rollers and the rails comes into play and permits the movement without jamming.

The invention is more fully described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which like characters indicate like parts, and in which- FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a cabinet having the present invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of rice one of the pair of rails in association with other essential elements of the -new structure, and

FIG. 3 is a side view of one form of drawer adapted for use in the present structure.

With reference to the drawing, the drawer consists of a bottom 1 which is wide compared to its depth. It has a pair of sides 2 and 3 and a back 4. It may have shelf dividers and may be of a diierent construction. The cabinet itself may be of usual construction and is here shown as having a vertical back 5 joined to sides 6 and 7. Rails 8 and 9 each consists of a vertical portion 10 (FIG. 2), and has a lower flange 11 at about right angle to portion 10. An upper flange 12 is convexly arched. Rivets 13 or other attachment hold portion 10 fixed to the cabinet.

At the rear of the drawer on each side thereof is a front roller 16 and a rear roller 17. The rollers are mounted on stub shafts 18 anchored in sides 2 and 3 of the drawer. As seen in FIG. 2, the diameter of the rollers is substantially less than the vertical distance between the upper and lower flanges. The radius `of curvature 19 of upper flange 12 is larger than the radius of curvature 20 of the rollers, thereby providing a line contact between the rollers and the upper ange. The rollers are at about to flange 11.

Although the invention has been described with a single specic embodiment, numerous variations in the details may be made within the scope of the invention. For instance, portion 10 4need not be vertical bu-t may be inclined. 'I'he acute angle between the rollers and the lower ange may be altered to a substantial degree. Lower ange 11 may be arced concavely to a limited extent while remaining generally horizontal. The mounting of the rollers, the shape of several elements, and the materials of construction may be those known in the art.

The essence of the invention is that the rollers bear on only one of the llanges and when a skewing force is encountered, the curvature of either or both anges urges the rollers back into line. The gap between the rollers and -the lower ange permits the rollers to ride on the curved portion; the gap narrows but the rollers do not jam. The side component of force due to the curved portion of the flange causes the rollers to move back into their normal operating positions.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cabinet having at least one drawer, a pair of rails on opposite sides of said cabinet, rollers mounted on the sides of said drawer and engaging said rails, the improvement which comprises an upstanding wall on each of said rails adapjed to be attached to said cabinet, a lower flange on said rails extending inwardly therefrom, an upper ange on said rails extending inwardly, a forward roller and a rear roller on each side of said drawer, the diameter of said rollers being substantially less than the distance between said anges, said lower flange being substantially horizontal, the plane passing through said rollers forming an acute angle with the inward portion of said lower flange.

2. A cabinet according -to claim 1 characterized in that said angle is about 75.

3. A cabinet according to claim 1 characterized in that said upper flange is convexly arced.

4. A cabinet according to claim 1 characterized in that said wall is substantially vertical.

3 Y f4 f 5. A' cabinet according -to vclaim 1 characterized in ture of said upper flange being greater than that of said that said lower flange is flat. rollers.

6.A cabinet according Ato claim 1 characterized in v that said :rollers are mounted in the upper part of said References Cited m the me of thls Patent drawers. 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 8. A cabinet according to claim 3 characterized in FOREIGN PATENTS that the rim of said rollers is arched, the radius of curva- 10 327,508 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1930 

1. IN A CABINET HAVING AT LEAST ONE DRAWER, A PAIR OF RAILS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CABINET, ROLLERS MOUNTED ON THE SIDES OF SAID DRAWER AND ENGAGING SAID RAILS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES AND UPSTANDING WALL ON EACH OF SAID RAILS ADAPJED TO BE ATTACHED TO SAID CABINET, A LOWER FLANGE ON SAID RAILS EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM, AN UPPER FLANGE ON SAID RAILS EXTENDING INWARDLY, A FORWARD ROLLER AND A REAR ROLLER ON EACH SIDE OF SAID DRAWER, THE DIAMETER OF SAID ROLLERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID FLANGES, SAID LOWER FLANGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL, THE PLANE PASSING THROUGH SAID ROLLERS FORMING AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH THE INWARD PORTION OF SAID LOWER FLANGE. 